


the weary night wears through

by leviathanmirror



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-26
Updated: 2013-07-26
Packaged: 2017-12-21 10:34:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/899300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leviathanmirror/pseuds/leviathanmirror
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pre-canon.  Jareth and an unpleasant night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the weary night wears through

Tonight he was called twice. Twice the right words were said and twice his goblins went to claim a child wished away.

No one ran the Labyrinth.

No one has run the Labyrinth in a very long time. They make no effort if they even accept the contract. He is glad that most of his wish-aways are young, too young to understand that they were not wanted. That no one came for them.

It is hardest for him and hardest for those children who, before the process of becoming a goblin robs them of memory, understand what has happened. When they understand why it has happened.

He is exceedingly tired of mortals. He is exceedingly tired of mothers and fathers, of sisters and brothers, of those who claim burdens they do not have and those who have burdens they cannot bear and give up, of all things, their children.

He once considered remembering the names of all the children wished to him. He chose not to. Their mortal lives did not deserve honoring; to have been wished away is almost always to have an unhappy life. It best for them to leave everything behind. They will remember little but joy as his subjects and they're better off that way.

He watches the new arrivals play as he counts down the final hour the second child's guardian would have had.

The sky is still dark when he feels the call again.

He is frustrated and weary as he lets his clothing ripple into armor and answers the call.

Perhaps this one he will give good reason to fear him.


End file.
